by Alex Apostol
“You’re needed in Chicago. Guess you’re finally coming back home.”
6
“See how I’ll leave with every piece of you. Don’t underestimate the things that I will do. There’s a fire starting in my heart, reaching a fever pitch and it’s bringing me out the dark.”
– Adele
As I turned onto my familiar childhood street, a feeling of nervousness crept up inside me. It had been a whole year since I’d set foot inside the house where Danny had been murdered. I knew there would be reminders everywhere of my son and the wonderfully normal life we used to have. I pulled into the driveway that ran alongside the house and parked the truck. Taking in a deep relaxing breath, I stared up at the simple two story home I knew so well. It was as if nothing had changed. The white paint was still slightly dingy and a few of the shutters still needed fixing. The small evergreen tree Danny and I had planted in the front yard was still young and frail.
Once the knots in my stomach released their grip, I sullenly got out of the truck and walked along the path to the front porch. Before my hand had time to reach the door, it flew open to reveal Cara bouncing up and down with excitement.
“I can’t believe you’re really here!” she exclaimed as she pulled me in for a tight hug.
I closed my eyes and let Cara’s familiar scent of lavenders and fresh linen wash over me. It was a smell that always brought me to a peaceful state of mind. When she let me go, a small sparkling silver cross caught my eye as it fell lightly onto her pink cardigan sweater. Something about Cara that had always baffled me was how she dressed. If she wore clothes more her age and put on a fitted top every once in a while she would be a knock out. Instead, she liked to dress like a middle aged Sunday school teacher. At first glance she was mousy and simple, but if she took the tight bun out of her hair and unbuttoned her sweater a bit, she would be a stunning vixen. Cara really didn’t care about those things though. She saw everyone for their inner beauty.
“Beautiful necklace,” I commented, causing her face to soften, showing an enormous amount of compassion in her eyes.
“Tom gave it to me for my birthday,” she responded, holding the cross close to her heart.
I smiled at her, slightly envious of the life she had. Would I ever have someone special in my life again or was I meant to be alone? Quickly, I forced my mind onto another subject.
“So, Chicago went great,” I said with an undeniable undertone of sarcasm.
Cara smiled back, pretending to be glad to hear the good news.
“I spent two days tracking down these college girls who were using Wiccan spells to find true love and then I scared the shit out of them because I was under the impression I was hunting dangerous, malevolent witches,” I continued as I looked directly into Cara’s eyes, trying to keep a straight face.
“Well, good work,” she said trying to swallow her laughter. “Way to keep those streets clean.”
I put my hands on my hips and looked down at my feet as I shuffled them over the yellow entryway rug, continuing to explain my ‘close encounter’.
“Yea, and as I stared down at these three young girls who were looking up at me as if I were going to mug them, I began to realize that…the mission you had sent me on was complete bullshit!”
Cara burst into a fit of giggles. She put her hands over her mouth, trying to suppress the sound of her laughter, but was unsuccessful.
“I couldn’t help it! I missed you so much and I knew you would never come home unless it was to hunt something down,” she explained.
She was right about that one. I really wouldn’t have come back if she had just asked. Being in that old house brought back all the horrible feelings I had learned to burry deep down. I felt as though I would have to try all over again to forget the things I saw there. If I cringed at the sight of the entryway, I couldn’t imagine how painful it would be for me to go upstairs. I decided to push all these thoughts aside, though, and try to have a pleasant and very short visit with my best friend.
“But Wiccans, Cara?” I questioned as a smile spread across my face. “Couldn’t you find a better fake case for me to waste my time on?”
I raised my eyebrows questioningly but Cara simply shrugged her shoulders and smiled. It was no use. No matter what she did, I could never stay mad at her. She had such a pleasant personality. It was intoxicating.
“Don’t hog her all for yourself now, Cara,” a deep, rough voice bellowed from the living room.
I would have known the sound of that voice from anywhere. As I approached the couch, I bit my bottom lip in order to control my excitement. A tall man stood up and gave me a crooked grin as he walked towards me. I could hear his steel toed boots clinking softly with every step he took. His stubble-covered cheek grazed mine as he embraced me tightly in his arms. I looked up into his bottomless gray eyes and smiled back, finally feeling like I was home again.
“Don, I’m so happy to see you!” I exclaimed as I backed away to get a good look at him. “Don’t you look…exactly the same?”
I don’t know why I had expected him to be any different, but I searched him over looking for the slightest change. His hair was dark and unkempt, prematurely speckled with flecks of gray from stress. He had on a deep maroon colored shirt with the sleeves rolled up as far as his muscular arms would allow. His faded jeans were held up by an old brown leather belt I had seen him wear every day since we’d met. He scanned me up and down and commented on how fit I had become since he last saw me. He smiled down at me. No words were necessary to express the joy we both felt in seeing each other again. The thing I loved most about Don was that I could tell exactly what he was thinking with only a short glace into his deep, wounded eyes. We both turned from each other when we heard the soft sound of someone clearing their throat.
Cara stood at the entrance of the room holding the hand of a clean shaven man. His short wavy blonde hair was styled with so much gel it looked crunchy. The navy blue suit he had on was perfectly ironed and complimented with a silky red tie and a crisp white button down shirt.
“Nice to see you again, Tom,” I said and smiled politely.
It wasn’t that I didn’t like him. He just wasn’t my type of guy. He was the manager of the biggest bank in downtown Chicago and always wore a serious face, that is when he wasn’t doing that obviously over-the-top laugh businessmen do when their clients crack a joke that isn’t funny at all. Even though we had never really clicked, I couldn’t deny that he was a perfect match for conservative Cara. He was full of love for her and shared all her crazy passions. Every Sunday morning he was right there beside her at the local church and every night they cooked dinner together while they laughed and kissed. They went on long walks together and watched sappy love movies cuddled up on the couch.
Tom gave me a slight nod before he touched his lips lightly to Cara’s cheek and turned to leave the room without a word. Don and I exchanged confused glances in secret. I knew Tom and I had never been what most would consider friends, but I usually at least received some cheesy smile followed by a well intended greeting when we saw each other.
“He’s been kind of stressed from work lately,” Cara said, trying to excuse her boyfriend’s behavior.
“Yea, me too,” I said nodding my head in understanding. If anyone knew the pressure of the job, it was me. “That doesn’t mean I act like an ass, though,” I concluded, smiling.
Don gave a loud snort as Cara rolled her eyes. She let me catch a glimpse of a tiny smile on her face before she showed me and Don to the kitchen, which was filled with the delicious smell of chicken and dumplings. The three of us sat at the old wooden dining table for hours, laughing and sharing. Don and I swapped paranormal war stories while Cara sat in awe at the things we described. Cara and I told Don about our rebellious pre-teen days when we would sneak out of our houses at midnight to go to the park in our pajamas and listen to music. When the stories and laughter came to an end, Cara told us both she had an announcement to make.
“As you both know, Tom and I have been together for a few years now,” she began.
I held my breath in anticipation, already knowing what the big news was going to be. They had been together for so long and I was pretty sure Tom was spending every night with Cara in my house. That only left one announcement worthy step in their relationship. Cara looked down at her dinner plate, letting the dramatic silence sink in.
“We’re engaged!” she squealed as she held out her hand to show us the large diamond ring that was now sitting on her finger.
I let out a huge gasp, grabbing her hand to take a closer look. I had to admit, the man did have good taste in jewelry.
“Wow, Cara! It’s beautiful. I’m so happy for you!”
I realized she was going to be one of the lucky ones who, despite knowing true evil in this world, was going to live a full and happy normal life. My eyes started to cloud with tears of joy. If anyone deserved this, it was Cara. She had done so much for me over the years. I couldn’t help but be excited over her bright future.
“Gimmee a break,” Don grunted as he leaned back and folded his arms. “I’m happy too, but let’s not turn this into a chick fest, okay?” he begged.
Cara and I both laughed as we wiped away the wetness from under our eyes. After a late night of reminiscing with my two closest friends, I shuffled my way up to my old bedroom. I paused at the top of the stairs and turned slowly to look at a closed door. I stared at the piece of paper taped to it and felt a lump form deep in my throat. It had the name ‘Danny’ scribbled all over it in different colors with a tiny drawing of a stick figure boy and a stick figure mom holding hands. I closed my eyes and pictured my little boy playing at his Lego table in the sunny yellow room. I opened my eyes and took a deep breath. It was hard to be strong, but it was the only thing that kept me going. Without another thought, I went to my room and changed into a knee length nightgown I found in one of my dresser drawers and got into bed. I fell asleep as soon as my head hit the pillow, emotionally exhausted from the day.
*
I sat up, overcome with the feeling I was not alone in my quiet, dark room. I reached over and turned on the bedside lamp, comforted by the warm glow. The clock read 3 a.m. I narrowed my eyes while they adjusted to the light. When I turned my head to scan the area, I saw the door to my room was cracked open. My eyes grew wide with fear as I held completely still. In the normal world, this would not be a sign of something sinister, but this was the hunting world. I never slept with my door open and I usually locked myself in as well just to be safe. With all the creatures wandering the night, one could never be too careful when their guard was down.
I drew in a deep breath and held it there as I watched my door slowly and quietly shut before my eyes. I sprang from my bed and rushed into the hallway to catch the culprit, but found it empty. After I searched the house, checking every nook and cranny, I went back to my room. I double checked the lock before climbing back into bed for what I was sure was going to be a sleepless night.
*
I woke up just as the first ray of morning sunlight shone through my bedroom windows. As soon as my eyes popped open I got out of bed, threw on the first pair of jeans and shirt my hands could grab, and headed over to Don’s house. If anyone could figure out what I had seen when I was woken up in the middle of the night, it was Don. He came in contact with more supernatural beings than I cared to know about. Nothing could sneak past him.
“Kamlyn!” he greeted me and opened his creaky screen door. “You’re up early.”
I stepped into the foyer and looked around. His home seemed like it had been beautiful back when a family had lived in it, but now that it was just Don, the place looked old and run down. He didn’t have the time to clean it or make repairs, especially since more than half the time he was out on the road like me. I suggested a long time ago that he get a roommate or a maid to take care of the place while he was gone, but he wasn’t what most would consider a people person. He claimed to be too old to have a roommate and a maid would just be freaked out by all the weaponry in the house. He did have a valid point there. I walked over to the living room and sat down on a once white couch with little yellow daisies on it.
“Something happened last night,” I began as soon as Don settled into his worn out recliner chair.
I told him all about the incident in my room and we tried to figure out what it could have been. After considering many dead ends, we sat in silence trying to think some more.
“Maybe it was just a dream. Being back home might be messing with your head,” Don suggested as he looked at me, softening his glance.
I thought about what he said for a moment. Maybe I had dreamt the whole thing. It seemed so real, though. I’d had vivid dreams before, just never about things creeping around in the dark. They were usually about my son. Just then an idea entered my mind and I said it aloud before thinking it through.
“Do you think…?” I started to say, but stopped myself. I knew it would sound crazy and desperate, but I couldn’t help but consider it. “…maybe Danny’s still there?” I concluded as I looked down at my folded hands.
I didn’t want to see the look Don must have been giving me. Everyone thought the spirit of their loved ones were reaching out to them, when really it was just some bad wiring and cold drafts. I knew better. I had been trained better. One thing I hated about myself was that I always let my emotions cloud my judgment. When I looked up, I was surprised to see Don nodding his head in agreement. He tented his fingers in front of his lips as he considered it.
“It’s entirely possible,” he reasoned. “Violent deaths often cause lost spirits.”
My eyes started to sting as I thought about my sweet little boy wandering the house, sad and alone, crying for his mommy. If he was still there I had to find him and explain why I left for so long.
“I know what you’re thinking, Kammy, but this doesn’t mean you’ve got your son back,” Don said in a hushed voice.
He looked down at the discolored carpet instead of into my tear filled eyes, knowing I didn’t want to hear what he had to say next.
“You have to do what you would do with any other ghost haunting a home.”
My vision blurred as I stared at an old photograph of Don’s family on the wall. How could I get rid of my own son? Even as the thought of being reunited with him ran through my head, I knew it was not right. As much as I hated to admit it, Danny was not meant to be here anymore and it was my responsibility to show him the way to where he should be.
“It may or may not be Danny. All I know is there’s definitely something unnatural going on in your home,” Don said as he ran his fingers through his unkempt hair, tousling it in different directions. “I felt it.”
We both knew how hard this was going to be for me. Getting someone to realize they’ve passed on was always an emotional experience. I couldn’t imagine how hard it was going to be with my five year old son. I was worried that the minute I saw him, I wouldn’t be able to let him go. I already lost him once before and it was the hardest thing I’d ever been through. Was I really ready to feel that way all over again?
When I got back home Cara was already at work and I found the house quiet. While I had the place all to myself, I decided it was the perfect time to investigate. I walked up the stairs, listening to the floorboards creak under every step I took. As I reached for the doorknob to Danny’s room, I took a deep breath and closed my eyes. On the other side could be my little boy I thought as I cracked the door open and stuck my head inside.
The window was open and the baby blue curtains blew back and forth in the breeze. I stepped inside, remembering for one second the evil that had jumped through that very window into the darkness. If I knew then what I did now, I could have stopped the demon hag and saved my son. Everything happens for a reason, though, or at least that’s what people keep telling me. My body shivered, pulling me back from my thoughts.
“Danny?” I whispered, closing my eyes and c
oncentrating on drawing him out.
I’d always been somewhat sensitive to the spirit world, but as I stood in the center of what used to be my son’s room, I realized Don and I had been wrong. If Danny was still in my home I would have felt his presence. He would have shown himself to me or moved something to let me know he was there. I felt completely alone as I sat down on the twin sized bed. My hand moved slowly over the rocket ship design on the comforter as I tried not to picture the last time I saw my son under those covers. I stood up and took one last look around before heading out into the hallway and shutting the door behind me.
I decided to relax while I had the time off at home instead of trying to make a case where there clearly wasn’t one. I’d never realized how hard it was for me to act like a normal person these days. Once someone knows about all the evil in the world, though, they see it everywhere. I pushed all my instincts aside and told myself I had dreamt the whole thing last night. Surely, Don had picked up on my anxiousness yesterday and that was the presence he felt; not a spirit. His body channeled energy, but it wasn’t always what he thought it was. Every once in a while it was just his reaction to someone else’s intense feelings.
I went into the kitchen to make myself a turkey and cheese sandwich for a late lunch. I hadn’t eaten anything all day and my head was starting to feel light and dizzy. If I went more than a few hours without food, it hit me hard. That’s why I always kept the truck stocked with snacks. I didn’t need to eat too healthy; I just needed to eat. As I cut the sandwich into triangles I saw a shadow pass behind me from the corner of my eye. I whirled around with the bread knife extended in front of me.
Oh, geeze!” I exclaimed, breathing heavily and clenching my chest.